Not applicable.
Not applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention has to do with disk drive suspensions, and more particularly with improvements in the design and structure of disk drive suspension electrical connectors that are used to carry current between a load beam-supported slider and suspension-associated signal circuitry. In a specific aspect, the invention provides a disk drive suspension in which the advantages of metal layer-free flexible conductive laminate segments, including lower cost and easier fabrication in various configurations to meet suspension design needs, are maximally obtained while retaining the benefits of a metal layer containing flexible conductive laminate segment from the load beam rigid portion forward.
2. Related Art
Signal circuitry has been electrically connected to the slider, including the recording head carried by the slider, by various types of electrical connectors including wire bundles and flexible circuitry exclusively or in combination with varying effectiveness and cost efficiencies. There is a considerable cost disparity between the available conductive laminates, the metal layer type conductive laminates being more expensive than the laminates of only trace conductors and an insulative film. Different suspension designs will require that the connector extending between the signal circuitry and the slider be configured differently, and take on unusual shapes in many instances. Configuring these shapes in the conductive laminate connector will often require much waste of material as the needed contours will not always nest or otherwise fall into an economical cutting pattern. In this case the added material costs of the metal layer laminate can be prohibitive. It is, however, often necessary to have the greater stiffness properties of the metal layer containing laminate at the slider or distal end of the suspension.
It is an object, therefore, of the invention to provide a disk drive suspension having electrical connectors that provide substantially the benefits of a flexible conductive circuit connection at lower cost and with easier fabrication. It is a further object to provide a hybrid of electrical connectors that avoid incurring the higher cost of the metal layer laminate over much of the length of the conductor and offer increased design freedom in the bulk of the conductor without unneeded added expense. A still further object is realized is to provide a suspension having the needed properties of the metal layer conductive laminate at the distal end where the slider is located, but not much beyond that end. Only lower cost, simple conductive trace and insulative layer laminate is used where the conductor must be specially configured with possible excessive waste of material. Other objects include retaining the manufacturing advantages of flexible conductive circuit, including ready automation of slider-to-flexure assembly and substantially bias-free attachment to the slider.
These and other objects of the invention to become apparent hereinafter are realized in a disk drive suspension comprising a load beam adapted to mount to an actuator arm of an actuator, the load beam having a distal rigid portion, and supported by the load beam a flexure for carrying a slider, an electrical connector running substantially the length of the actuator arm and the load beam to the slider, the connector comprising an electrically integrated hybrid of different segments including a first flexible conductive laminate segment free of a metal support layer and supported by the actuator and connected to signal circuitry, a second flexible conductive laminate segment including a metal support layer that is supported by the load beam and connected to the slider, and a third flexible conductive laminate jumper segment that is supported by the actuator arm and connected between the first and second segments, the segments being arranged sequentially and in such manner that the slider head is electrically coupled to the signal circuitry by the first flexible conductive laminate segment at the proximal end of the load beam, by the second flexible conductor laminate segment at the load beam distal rigid portion, and by the jumper segment between the first and second segments.
In this and like embodiments, typically, the first, second and jumper flexible conductive laminate segments each comprise at least one pair of conductive leads laminated with plastic film, the second segment further comprising a stainless steel layer laminated with the plastic film, and the second flexible conductive laminate segment is electrically connected to the slider substantially in slider movement bias free relation.
In a further embodiment, the invention provides a disk drive suspension comprising a load beam adapted to mount to an actuator arm extending from an actuator, the load beam having a distal rigid portion, and supported by the load beam a flexure carrying a slider, an electrical connector comprising an electrically integrated hybrid of different segments including a first flexible conductive laminate segment supported by the actuator and connected to signal circuitry, a second flexible conductive laminate segment including a metal support layer that is supported by the load beam and connected to the slider, and a third flexible conductive laminate jumper segment connected between the first and second segments and supported by the actuator arm along a major portion of the actuator arm length, the first segment and the jumper segment each comprising a two-component structure of copper conductors and plastic dielectric, and the second segment comprising copper conductors, plastic dielectric, and a stainless steel support laminated to the plastic dielectric, the conductors being joined at the proximate and distal ends of the jumper segment to define an continuous electrical path for carrying current from the slider head to signal circuitry beyond the actuator arm.
In this and like embodiments, typically, the first and second flexible conductive laminate segments are each free of junctions, the second and third flexible conductive laminates are respectively on opposite sides of said load beam, said load beam being apertured for interconnection of said second and third segments, or, the second and third flexible conductive laminates are each on the same side of said load beam, and the second flexible conductive laminate segment is electrically connected to the slider substantially in slider movement bias free relation.
In a further embodiment, the invention provides in combination: an actuator arm, a load beam and a slider, and the first, second and jumper flexible conductive laminate segments as above described, the segments being electrically coupled into a single electrical connector and arranged to conduct current from the slider to signal circuitry.